Treated agricultural byproducts, such as treated corn stover and wheat straw, may be used as animal feed. For example, treated corn stover may be used as a source of cattle feed. Corn stover generally refers to portions of a corn plant remaining after the grain or seeds have been harvested and may include harvest residues, such as stalks, cobs, husks, and leaves. Treatment generally refers to increasing the digestibility and acceptance of an agricultural byproduct for consumption. Stover and wheat straw are typically baled in order to facilitate handling and transport. Farmers often process bales with tub grinders or other equipment to produce particles when baled material is used as animal feed.
Treatment of corn stover may include utilizing chemical reactions to breakdown stover such that nutrients that normally would be unavailable during the digestive process can be digested. Treatment of corn stover may involve combining stover with a solution of calcium hydroxide (also referred to as hydrated lime, slaked lime, or pickling lime) and allowing the mixture to react for a predetermined amount of time. Calcium hydroxide may be formed by mixing water with calcium oxide derived from limestone. In addition to using calcium hydroxide, ammonia-based liquids may also be used to treat corn stover.